Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-06-04

neighbors, even where by sending abroad
some small saving may be effected. While
the right TO buy at the best price-advan-
tage is not even open TO criticism, it may
well be doubted if the policy is a wise one
The needs should be great. and the gains
greater. that induce the citizen making his
living" in the place of his residence to
pass by the doors of his home traders, and
purchase in the market that contributes
nothing to him.
One instance, in itself small but illus
tratiye, Is recorded of Western city 10
which came troupe of vocalists of merit,
and capable of giving delightful enter
tainment. But the posters, handbills
dodgers, tickets and printed etcetera of the
troupe bore evidence of having been pre-
pared for the occasion in a city somewhat
distant, and not even commercially re-
lated to the town which was asked to con-
tribute to the troupe some hundreds of its
money. The record is, that actuated by a
sense of loyalty to their own, and without
any preconcert, the people remained at
home, and left the singers to empty benches
and an emptier purse. 1t is not to be de-
MED that the lesson was well deserved, or
that the sentiment of that community was
not praiseworthy.
Another instance is recorded in town
somewhat farther east, where newly ar
rived merchant without any special excuse
beyond the fact that he saved very few
dollars on very large contract, fitted up
an extensive establishment with material
purchased at mills in another market
place. The result was such general nom
patronage of his house as to compel the
dealer to retire to community less loyal
to its own workers.
There are instances of more immediate
geographical Importance to US, where resi-
dences have been in part constructed of
foreign material without any saving, and
likewise fitted in other respects, no better
nor cheaper than could have been done at
home, nor IN better taste. So, too, an
other local instance serving as an illustra-
ton of many, is that in which lady,
whose family gains its entire support from
home patronage, sought in the metropolis
to crafty taste for foreign expenditure,
but to her establishment found that the
jobber, more alive to his own interests
than she to hers, filled her order for laces
through house of her city, which had in
stock precisely the articles she industriously
sought abroad.
The truth is, people mutually dependent
have mutual obligations in the mainten-
ance of their home markets. Fully one
half of the trade taken away is merely the
result of false sentiment that the article
brought in from abroad is somehow in
vested with better qualities. 1t is like
wise underlaid by the equally erroneous
idea that the small purchase abroad by the
individual does not materially affect the
volume Of home trade, forgetful of the
fact that if all purchasers acted in
like manner home trade and industry would
be utterly destroyed. There are several
hundreds of thousands of dollars sent out
of our own city annually for supplies, that
could be had at home Of precisely like
brand, and at as low or lower prices. And
this is done by people who owe their own
support to the people of Sacramento. 1t
is safe to say that little thought upon the
question, What do we owe to the town in
which we live?' would result in very
much needed and practical reform that
would very materially affect local markets.